High Performance Camp

Women’s hockey is still very much a recreational sport in many countries and in order to bring the sport to an elite level on the ice outside of North America, the Under-18 High Performance Camp was created. It is a practical tool for the next group of athletes and team staff who will be involved in the international game in the critical learning period of their hockey career. The main goal of the high performance camp is to provide a one week example of what the athletes need to focus on to be elite female hockey players and the areas of support the staff and federations need to provide to create the right environment for success on the international stage.

Many people around the world have had the opportunity to participate in the IIHF Hockey Development Camps in the past 12 years. While that camp is an amazing tool for the global leaders to develop more opportunities for young athletes in their home nations, the high performance camp works with the top hockey players to lay the foundation of what it takes to not only be a naturally talented player, but a hard-working elite athlete. As well, the full support team including coaches, managers, equipment managers, athletic trainers, strength coaches and a camp nutritionist are all brought together to demonstrate the resources these elite athletes need to reach their top performances.

July 2012 will be the second time the IIHF has hosted a High Performance Camp for the best Under-18 female players. In 2011, the inaugural camp held in Bratislava, Slovakia, was a tremendous showing of skilled players coming together to push each other to a higher level. It provided the first experience that many of these young athletes had to elite expectations both on and off the ice through fitness testing and comparison to top female hockey athletes in their age, fast paced practices and games, and a seminar program covering topics from injury recovery to nutrition to being a leader on their team at home.

This summer, we are building on the success of last year’s camp with 185 participants expected. Strong focus will be on the technical skating and skills side of the game, as well as nutrition and strength and conditioning. We are very fortunate once again to have some of the top coaches, athletes, and administrators in women’s hockey on the camp staff, and this will be an event that all 185 participants will never forget!